“Genesis 30:37-43”

Friday, February 14, 2020

“Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was in the rods. He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the gutters, even in the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink; and they mated when they came to drink. So the flocks mated by the rods, and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might mate by the rods; but when the flock was feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s. So the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys.”

---End of Scripture verses---

Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was in the rods.” (verse 38) This strange little ritual presents no obvious efficacy at face value. It seems that Jacob cut bark off of these limbs in ways that made them appear to be striped and possibly mottled and spotted like the desired animal coloration patters. He faced the stronger animals toward the partially pealed limbs and toward Laban's mottled animals so they could see them as they mated. Maybe there was strong belief in the potency of visual perception or in the powers of suggestion.

“He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the gutters, even in the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink; and they mated when they came to drink.” (verse 39) Nahum Sarna suggested: “It is...possible that the three plants placed in the watering troughs, each known to contain toxic substances and used in the ancient world for medicinal purposes, could have had the effect of hastening the onset of the estrous cycle in the animals and so heightened readiness to copulate.”

“So the flocks mated by the rods, and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted.” (verse 39) I don’t know if all of this was just superstitious ritual like the whole incident with the mandrakes, or possibly that God had even told him to do these things in a test of obedience. The only thing for certain is that it was God's power that caused Jacob's flocks to increase and not the peeled bark of tree limbs. The prolific number of striped, speckled and spotted animals, that would normally have been an rarity, were provided by the providential powers of the Lord.

“Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might mate by the rods” (verse 41) “A third device on Jacob’s part. He is careful, at the breeding season, to pick out only the finer animals before which to place the peeled rods. Hence he obtained for his own share the young of the better animals.” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) “But when the flock was feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s.” (verse 42) Jacob was very selective with his peculiar procreation procedure, but it is hard to second-guess the methods of this very skilled animal breeder. He obviously knew what he was doing, he was aware of things about this profession that we are not, and the Lord was clearly on his side.

“So the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys..” (verse 43) “Wool, as the chief material for clothing, is a very valuable commodity in the East, and by the sale of it Jacob would obtain means for the purchase of male and female servants and camels. The latter were especially valuable for purposes of commerce, in which Jacob evidently was actively engaged, and whence probably came his chief gains.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)

Please read Genesis 31:1-9 for tomorrow.

Have a great day!

-Louie Taylor

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